Help, doubts with medicine

Hi guys,I'm an AS student and I've just done my AS exams. Initially, I wanted to apply to medicine and I've been volunteering in a hospital since January. Now it's come to the point where I'm beginning to doubt my potential and abilities to become a medic. I like the idea of examining patients and working out what's wrong with people and also having a nice conversation with patients at times. But there's something in me that makes me doubt myself and whether I want to become a doctor because I'm scared I'll screw up or I'll hate the medicine degree.I've been considering other degrees like optometry which is more easy in terms of work/life balanceHas anyone been in my position before and can advise me?

Reply 1

mathswillkillme

with medicine it is really competitive,you will need to get really high grades so ask yourself if you want this bad enough. with something like medicine you have to be 100% sure because the course is so demanding, optometry is more relaxed in terms of having more of a social life but medicine is a lot more respected and you'll earn a lot more money. Don't settle for less though if you think you can get into medicine i think you should try, if you don't get accepted optometry is also great

Reply 2

nomophobia

13

If you're not 100% sure, even after all that volunteering, I think you need to do some serious reevaluation.

I want to be a doctor and I have friends who also want to be doctors and we are desperate for it, we'll do anything. And I know most people who apply to do medicine are absolutely determined to do it and if you aren't, maybe it's not for you.

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Reply 3

ForestCat

18

Original post by Loyale

Hi guys,I'm an AS student and I've just done my AS exams. Initially, I wanted to apply to medicine and I've been volunteering in a hospital since January. Now it's come to the point where I'm beginning to doubt my potential and abilities to become a medic. I like the idea of examining patients and working out what's wrong with people and also having a nice conversation with patients at times. But there's something in me that makes me doubt myself and whether I want to become a doctor because I'm scared I'll screw up or I'll hate the medicine degree.I've been considering other degrees like optometry which is more easy in terms of work/life balanceHas anyone been in my position before and can advise me?

I don't agree with anyone who says that you have to be completely determined to do medicine. Yes, its a hard degree and you need to be motivated to study it. But its completely natural to have doubts. Myself and my friends constantly have doubts about whether medicine is for us, but we still turn up to placement the next day because we know there isn't anything we want to do more. What do you think, although you mention optometry, does anything else interest you as much as/more than medicine?

Everyone worries they'll screw up or not make it through. Again, its natural. Medics are particularly well known for having a case of imposter syndrome. Why do you think you're doubting yourself?

Reply 4

returnmigrant

21

Look at other areas - there are plenty of Allied Health roles that could be right for you :https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/allied-health-professionals

Also, look at different Uni courses that are 'like Medicine' :
Cellular and Molecular Medicine: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/cellmolmed/study/undergraduate/
Pharmacy : https://www.uea.ac.uk/pharmacy
Physiology : https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/courses/undergraduate/science/physiology/

Or areas that involve 'working with people' like social work, counselling, psychology, youth work, public health, mental health, aged care etc etc

Reply 5

UniAdmissions

5

Original post by Loyale

Hi guys,I'm an AS student and I've just done my AS exams. Initially, I wanted to apply to medicine and I've been volunteering in a hospital since January. Now it's come to the point where I'm beginning to doubt my potential and abilities to become a medic. I like the idea of examining patients and working out what's wrong with people and also having a nice conversation with patients at times. But there's something in me that makes me doubt myself and whether I want to become a doctor because I'm scared I'll screw up or I'll hate the medicine degree.I've been considering other degrees like optometry which is more easy in terms of work/life balanceHas anyone been in my position before and can advise me?

Hi Loyale

I wondered if you have reached any sort of decision about what you would like to do?

I think that it is completely normal to have times of doubting yourself. The thing to question in this situation is whether this is a case of self doubt, which we all suffer from at times, or realising that your passion lies elsewhere. If it is the later, then there is absolutely nothing wrong with deciding to take a different route. Better to decide that now than further down the line. However, if it is more that you are beginning to doubt your abilities then perhaps you need to ask yourself why this is? Did something happen while you were volunteering that has caused you to feel like this?

If you can reflect on your experience and turn it into a way of learning something about yourself rather than allowing it to cause you to worry then this could turn into a really positive thing. Don't worry at this point that you will screw up as a doctor, that is what the years of training are for, to get you to the point of feeling confident and being competent.

With regards to enjoying the medical degree, you will only really know that once you are doing it. You might find this blog interesting as it gives a bit of insight into the life of a medical student.

Feel free to give me a shout if there is anything I can help with.

Good luck in making your decision.

UniAdmissions

Help, doubts with medicine

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